Modern firearms, including those employed in military and law enforcement applications, often include various accessories to assist the shooter. Such devices include costly and mechanically precise instruments including precision optics and electronics, hereinafter referred to as “electro-optic devices”. Electro-optic devices may be mounted directly to the firearm or indirectly on a mount associated with the firearm. Conventional mounting means include securing accessories to the firearm with a Picatinny rail system. Electro-optic devices include, but are not limited to, day scopes and night vision devices, infrared views, cameras and illuminators. While the shock mitigating devices as described herein are particularly beneficial for electro-optic devices, beneficial mitigation can be achieved for protecting any device, the firearm, and/or the shooter.
Under firing conditions, devices, particularly electro-optic devices, can sustain damage in many ways. One source of damage is from recoil forces (often called kickback or simply kick) which are the backward momentum of a gun when it is discharged. In most small arms, the momentum is transferred to the ground through the body of the shooter, while in heavier guns, such as mounted machine guns, the momentum is transferred to the ground through its mount. Under firing conditions, electro-optics can be damaged in a number of ways. Recoil forces can cause the body of a day scope to flex, resulting in shifting of optical lenses and reticles. With regard to night vision, laser and white light devices, the precision circuitry of electro-optics can be damaged by the shock of firing forces. The shock mitigating device according to the present invention is directed to mitigating such recoil forces on a firearm to prevent damage to electro-optic devices.